INTRODUCTION
Isopentyl acetate, "banana oil", is a naturally occurring compound that possesses a distinctive odor. It is found in bananas, as well as many other organisms.
This experiment attempts to produce isopentyl acetate by heating under reflux, which involves heating the mixture in a flask with a condenser placed vertically in the neck since any escaping vapours condense and run back into the flask, by combining isopentyl alcohol with acetic acid and an acid catalyst. The product was isolated using a combination of techniques -- acid-base extraction, drying, and distillation -- and was characterized by its boiling temperature and its refractive index.
Esterification is a condensation reaction where two molecules are joined together to form a larger molecule with the simultaneous loss of water.

This ester in this experiment is isopentyl acetate formed from acetic acid and isopentyl alcohol. The reaction is catalyzed by hydrochloric acid, a Fisher esterification process,......

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Title: Preparation Of Isopentyl Acetate
Approximate Word Count: 1619
Approximate Pages: 7 (250 words per double-spaced page)

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